The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America have issued a joint statement on the upcoming meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.

“Fifty years ago, in January 1964, two great Christian leaders met in Jerusalem. Pope Paul VI of Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople swept aside centuries of hostility and embraced one another in the city where Christ was crucified and rose from the dead,” said Archbishop Joseph Kurtz and Archbishop Demetrios.

“Our Churches have increasingly been able to speak with one voice on the pressing issues that our society faces today,” they added. “We commit ourselves to increased cooperation in these areas, including social, economic, and ethical dilemmas, and we call our people to pray for the success of the upcoming meeting between Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Jerusalem for the glory of God and the promotion of Christianity in our wounded world.”

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I did not realize that it was almost two years after the embrace (Jan 1964, to Dec 1965) before the mutual excommunication was lifted. May the Church of Christ continues to show signs of breathing with both lungs, pray for us John Paul!